


Cullen's Nightmare

by thewightknight



Series: The Commander and the Inquisitor [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-04
Packaged: 2018-02-28 04:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2718410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/pseuds/thewightknight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen wakes from a nightmare, and finds that he's not the only one having trouble sleeping.</p><p>(Minor spoiler warning if you haven't gotten far enough in the game to find out Varric's nickname for Cullen.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cullen's Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> So it looks like I'm making my first series. Go me! I'm finally to Skyhold in my gameplay, and the views from the balconies are amazing.

“I’m disappointed in you, Cullen. I expected betrayal from them, but not from you.” Meredith gestured to the bodies lying around them in the courtyard, mages, Templars, the Champion and her friends. Her sword pulsed red in her hand and veins of red lyrium branched upwards through her body in time with the pulse. She reached out with her free hand and grasped him around the neck, forcing him to kneel. “But it makes no matter. You can still serve.” She reversed her grip and pressed the crossguard of the sword in to his cheek, and he too felt the pulse as the red lyrium took hold, spreading from the sword out into his body. He screamed…

…and sat bolt upright in his bed in his tower at Skyhold. It took him a few minutes to calm himself, to quit gasping for air, and no one came pounding on his door, so at least he hadn’t screamed out loud. Thank the Maker. He’d been troubled with nightmares for years after Kirkwall, but they had decreased in frequency as time had passed. It’d been months since his last, but their return was understandable, he guessed, after the last few months.

Sleep would be long in returning, he knew, so he might as well check the patrols. It wouldn’t hurt for morale for the night guard to see his face, anyways. He couldn’t bring himself to don his armor, though. Simple trousers and tunic would be good enough. 

As he paced across the courtyard, he stopped and looked up, as usual, to the Inquisitor’s tower. He was surprised to still see lights burning at this late hour. 

Varric materialized at his shoulder and he managed not to jump, but it was a near thing. “Nobody’s sleeping tonight, it seems.” Varric’s voice was even rougher than usual.

“You sound like I feel, Varric,” Cullen replied and was rewarded with a chuckle. 

“We should all be sleeping like the dead after the week we’ve had, but here we are.” He looked up at the tower as well. “She usually doesn’t sleep much after Judgment Days. Hardly ate any of her dinner, either. I know Josephine took a plate up a few hours ago, but I’d bet all the proceeds from my next book that she hasn’t touched any of it. You should go up, get her to eat something and tuck her into bed.”

“Why do you think I would have any better luck than Josephine?” He ignored the bed comment, and how his pulse quickened in response at the thoughts it engendered.

“Because you can order her as Commander to do it for the good of the Inquisition?”

“And when she laughs in my face?”

“Then you can give her the sad mabari pup eyes.” Varric paused for a moment. “But seriously, you’re the only one who hasn’t tried yet, Curly. Give it a go. You can’t do any worse than the rest of us, at least.” He clapped Cullen on the shoulder and disappeared back into the night. 

*****************************************

It was a long climb up to the tower. If nothing else, he should have worked off all the nightmare-induced adrenaline by the time he got back to his quarters. When he reached the top, he knocked. “Inquisitor? Are you still awake?” After getting no response, he eased the door open, in case she’d fallen asleep without dousing the candles. The room appeared empty. He entered, and looked around. A tray of cheese, sausage and dried fruit sat on the desk, untouched, next to a bottle of wine, still corked. Varric would have won his bet, Cullen thought. “Inquisitor?” he called again, starting to worry. “Eilrys?”

“Out here, Cullen.” Her voice came from the balcony. 

He crossed the room to the balcony arch. “You should be sleep…ing…” His voice trailed off as he saw the stars. They were washed out in the courtyard by the torches at night, but here in the tower the sky was a blanket full of diamonds. 

Eilrys was leaning on the railing, her arms crossed, shoulders bowed. Cullen moved to join her, and together they stood for a few minutes, staring out into the night.

She finally broke the silence. “Do you think the stars judge us?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper. Look down at us and despise us for the things we do to each other, to this world?”

“I think, if anything they weep,” he replied. er shoulders sagged a bit lower. 

“If it would help, Leliana or I can take our turns. ou don’t have to be the only one to sit in Judgment.”

“No, Cullen. It has to be me. I am the Inquisitor, after all. It comes with the title. You lot left a few things off the job description, though, when you handed me that big sword on the battlements.” She took a breath, and her shoulders slumped. “I just need to … not be strong for a little while. Can I? Please?” He didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded, and she turned and buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He started at the suddenness and she began to draw back, but before she could completely pull away he wrapped his arms around her and she relaxed back into him. She started to shudder and he realized she was crying soundlessly in his arms. He didn’t know how long they stood there until her shaking subsided and she went limp. 

Eventually, he lifted her and carried her back into her rooms. He was amazed at how little she weighed – her force of presence was such that you forgot how tiny she was. It took no effort to hold her with one arm, head tucked against his shoulder, as he pinched out the candles around the room. Pulling back the covers, he laid her gently in bed, but when he straightened she whispered “Stay.” He hesitated, for though he’d dreamed of having her in his arms for months, it felt like taking advantage. 

“Please?” she asked, and he gave up his mental struggle. 

Just until she fell asleep, he told himself, taking off his boots and laying beside her, pulling the covers over the two of them as she curled up against him. He listened to her breathing calm as she drifted off. Just until he was sure she was soundly asleep, and then he’d slip away. Just until…. Between one thought and the next slumber claimed Cullen as well, wrapped around Eilrys protectively, and if the stars were watching they surely smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here's Eilrys](http://thewightknight.tumblr.com/post/103340839583/tumblr-meet-eilrys-eilrys-meet-tumblr), if you're curious:  
>   
>  It's pronounced AY-el-ris, with a rolling R (which I can't do). It's a Welsh name, and means snowdrop
> 
> Feel free to come say hi over on [tumblr](http://thewightknight.tumblr.com/).


End file.
